Cash wasn´t Cole´s motivation says Hodgson

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is adamant money wasn’t Joe Cole’s motivation for moving to Anfield.

Cole is reported to have signed a four-year contract worth 90,000 pounds a week after agreeing to become the first major signing of Hodgson’s reign.

The 28-year-old was a free agent after being released by Chelsea and that guaranteed he would be able to demand a high wage as Liverpool didn’t have to pay a transfer fee for him.

Cole was also a target for Tottenham and Arsenal but Liverpool won the race for his signature and Hodgson is convinced it is footballing and not financial reasons that were behind the England star’s decision.

“I’m very pleased because any concern that it was going to turn into an auction all about money quickly disappeared after myself and (managing director) Christian Purslow had a long conversation with Joe,” Hodgson told Liverpool’s website.

“Obviously he is going to be a high wage earner because he is a free transfer — he was (a high earner) at his previous club — and he would be worth a lot of money on the transfer market.

“We wanted to make it clear that we wanted him for football reasons and only if he fitted in with our wage structure.

“I’m pleased to say that Joe has chosen Liverpool to come and play football and not because of the money. That’s a very satisfying thing for me as a manager and for the club itself.”

Hodgson has also rubbished reports that Argentina defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano wants to leave Liverpool for Inter Milan.

Mascherano, who has returned to Argentina for a holiday following his country’s quarter-final exit at the World Cup, is a target for former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, who is now in charge at Inter.

Hodgson has yet to speak to Mascherano despite leaving an answerphone message for him, but he insists there is no reason to think the former West Ham player wants to leave.

“The speculation about him leaving continues, but I must also put the record straight and say that as yet it is pure speculation because we have heard nothing from Inter and heard nothing other than he will come back and work with us,” Hodgson told talkSPORT radio station.

“To be honest, if you’re a player and a new manager comes in, you don’t have a lot to say to him.

“We’ll have plenty to talk about when we start working together — we don’t necessarily (need to) have lots of small talk over the telephone.”